New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1887-12-07
ppOTFCT THE CRY HALL PIRK,

The scheme to erect "a huge structure In the
already oycrcrowdod City Hall Park does not
lcommcnd itself to TIC sober judgment Of public
Spiritcd citizens. Our City Hall is the most re-
spectacle public cdilicc in the metropolis. In
ne opinion Of every one competent to Judge
this building is our best example of graceful
md impressive architecture among the StrlIct-
urcs on Manhattan Island devoted to pubic
uses. 1t will be simply impossible to heap up
towering wings around the Gay Hall, inclosinG
the space between it and the County Court
House in big quadrangle, without destroying
Tie beauty and symmetry Of our most attractive
,ubic building This IS a damage and loss
which this city can i'll afford to bear.
Moreover, every foot Of open ground in the
CITY Hail Park should be closely guarded.
The open spaces on the island below Union
-ouarc arc far too few in number and far too
limited in extent. Not one foot Of City Hall
Park should be- cncroachcd upon except under
the pressure Of absolutely imperative and over
~ hclming public necessity. There can be no
claim that such IN cdicc rs that proposed Is
Indispensable for the proper carrying o1 Of the
municipal government. The city owns IN cX-
Itcn>iyc property by the side of the TombS. nov
occupied by the Ncw-lavcn Railroad rs a
ir hit station. 1t has been asccrtaincd hat
tr lease Of that property held by the railroad
IN be- acquired at a reasonable sum. now
municipal budding which Will amply provide
f,g all the criminal courts the - strict tor-
n.y's Office and all other public Offices needing
shelter and not now supplied with adequate
space. can readily be erected there. But some
u our impatient public officials want t" get To
work 1t once to ruin the beauty of our City
Hall To- dcfacc and degrade our City Hall Park.
Tie promoters II this scheme can hardly
venture to declare that they are acting IN good
faith and " III the purpose Of carrying out tn"
act passed by the Legislature last winter. y
persistent effort was made 10 get the consent oil
tho Icg-ilturc to the construction Of tw"
,rclt publ buildings, one on the Ccntrc-N'.
ste the other in TIE city Hall Prk. The
T.ccislaturc consented to the construction OF
the criminal courts building by the City prison.
bat positively refused to sanction the con>truc-
ton Of a new home for municipal Offices IN the
Park. Is II then fair or honest to pcrvcrt the
intention Of the act and to do a positive INJURY
to the community in hcaplng up clumsy and
rrotcsuuc wings extending from the Court
House 10 the City Hall. choking up the most
precious piece II open ground in the lower part
II the town. and making an mnSigluy botch Of
what is now impressive and dcI ghtful to the
eve? II our Democratic friends who arc so
hot in the pursuit Of this enterprise do not take
heed to their WAYS. 1t viii certainly be advisable
for the Legislature to repeal thc statute under
which thcy are acting. In fact, the Legislature
cannot too prompt, do away with the possible
~ II such damage and outrage to the CITY Han
Park as are now contemplated CcnSorous
uroplc do not hes tate To say that the real reason
Tor the Impctuou- haste shown in the plan I"
nile I'D lofty structures around our City Han
: that in this way a large number Of labor"rS
can be employed whose support Will be usciuI
10 the Democratic party in the PRESIDENTIAL
campaign 70 build on a Centre s.. site might
require little longer time. though no SERIOUS
delay need bc involved in that undertakings
nu, al in all. the reasons against The proposed
wines" IN the Park are so strong, ana the
orcumcnts Of the officials who favor this Il IAN
arc go weak. that the Legislature cannot 60
wrong in putting stop Immediately to ms
enterprise by repeating the act. No pune IN
tcrcst will suffer Democratic city ouicl"'N
should keep their hands of the falk ana 90 To
Ccntrc-st if they are bent on building